Chick counting device



July 14, 1953 w. J. WRIGHT CHICK COUNTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filgd Aug. 27, 1951 spa/mm y 4, 1953 w. J. WRIGHT 2,645,424

CHICK COUNTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 27, 1951 2 Sheets- She et 2 Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE 2,645,424 CHICK COUNTING DEVICE Ward J. Wright, Kanawha, Iowa Application August 2'7, 1951, Serial No. 243,841

. 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to chick counting devices and in particular to a device for counting chicks that have been sexed.

In the sexing of chicks, the chicks to be sexed are generally carried 'in a first container, and on being sexecl'the rooster chicks are placed in a second container and the pullet chicks in a third container. Insofar as keeping count of the sexed chicks is concerned this is generally manually or mentally performed .by the sexer, and in connection with his main duties, considerable inconvenience and loss of time are encountered in maintaining an accurate count. Further, should the count be lost, a complete recount is necessary.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved device for counting chicks.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for counting sexed chicks in which the counting is made concurrently with the separation of the chicks into separate containers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a chick counting device in which a warning signal is given after a predetermined count has been reached.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a chick counting device in which a chickreceiving structure has a pivoted trap door which is tripped, each time a chick is placed thereon, to operate an electrical counting mechanism. When a predetermined count has been reached, the counting mechanism operates a warning signal, whereupon the counting mechanism is manually reset.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a portable chick counting device, Which is foldable into a compact package for carrying purposes, efficient in operation to accurately count chicks concurrently with the placement of the chicks into containers according to their sex, and with a warning signal being given when a predetermined count for a container has been reached.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the chick counting device of this invention with parts broken away and shown in section to more clearly show its construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged showing of the switch mechanism illustrated insection in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chick counting device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4in Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken along the lines 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit for the chick counting device of this invention; and

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged detail perspective views of parts which are embodied in the counting mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

With reference to the drawings the chick counting device of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 as including a frame structure I5 of a substantially U-shape having a base member I 6 of what might be termed a lazy tong construction so as to provide for the base being longitudinally retractable and extendable. Carried at each end of the base member I5 is an upright leg member or support I! the upper end of which terminates in a U-shape bracket 18 positioned transversely of the base member IS.

The lower end of an upright I1 is detachably secured to the base member 16 as by a Wing nut and bolt assembly [9 so as to facilitate dismantling of the device for transport purposes from job to job. Each upright support I! carries a chick-receiving structure 2! and a counting mechanism 22, and since the relative assembly of these parts with a corresponding upright support H, and their operation, are the same only one of such chick-receiving structures 2| and counting mechanisms 22 will be described in detail. a

A chick-receiving structure (Figs. 3 and 4) includes a side wall 23 of a substantially U-shape, and a pivoted bottom member or trap door 24. The side or confining Wall 23 is arranged longitudinally of the base member is at a position between the legs 28 of the U-bracket l8, and with the open end 25 of the side wall 23 secured to the legs 26 as by bolts 21 so that the structure 2! projects longitudinally outwardly from the base at a position spaced upwardly from the base The trap door 24 (Figs. 1 and 4) is provided at its inner end 28, namely, the end thereof located at the open side 25 of the U-shape confining wall 23, with a pair of transversely spaced oppositely arranged pivot pins 29 and 29a which are rotatably supported in the legs 25 of the U-bracket l8 so that the door 24 is pivotally movable from a bottom closing position for the structure 2i to an open position inclined downwardly and outwardly from the support [1, as indicated in dotted lines at A in Fig. 1. The door 24 is yieldg ably held in a closed position by the provision of a counter weight 31 mounted to the underside of its inner end 23 and is swung downwardly to its open position by the action of gravity against the counter weight 3 i, when a chick is placed on the door 24 through the open end 25 of the structure 2i.

Thus, during a sexing operation, and with the base 16 in an extended position, a container, indicated at 32 in Fig. 1, {or the chicks to be sexed is positioned. on the base i6 between the uprights ll. Containers indicated at 33 are then located below the chick-receiving structures 2|. When a chick from the container 32 is sexed, it is placed in one or the other of the chick-receiving structures 2! depending upon the sex thereof. Concurrently with the placement of a chick within the structure 2!, a trap door 2 3 is tripped or pivotally swung downwardly to an open position by the weight of the chick thereon, whereby the chick is dropped into a container 33.

To accomplish a counting of the chicks, concurrently with their separation into the containers 33 according to their sex, an electrical counting mechanism 22 is provided with each chickreceiving structure it. With reference to Fig. 4 a counting structure 22 includes a housing 34 of a substantially box shape having a side wall 36 and an end wall 3's which is secured to the upright support l'! at a position below the U-bracket i8. For the purpose of convenience, the end wall 3'! will be referred to as the rear wall of the housing 34, since in the use of the device the end wall 38 of the housing 34 will face, or be opposite, the chick sexer.

A counting or ratchet wheel 39 (Figs. 4 and is rotatably supported on a shaft 4| mounted on and extended inwardly from the side wall 35. The ratchet 39 is illustrated as being formed with twenty-five teeth t2 and a radially extended projection #53 adjacent one end of the series of teeth 2, with the series of teeth being separated by a blank portion 44. A torsion spring 45 functions to yieldably bias the ratchet wheel 39 in a direction indicated by the arrow 47.

The ratchet 39 is operated by a pawl assembly including a working pawl 43 and a holding pawl 1 9. The working pawl 43 (Figs. 4 and '7) is of a substantially L-shape having a long leg 52 and a short leg 53. Projected laterally of the short leg 53, in a direction longitudinally of the long leg 52 and a plane normal to the plane of the long leg 52 is a guide member 54 for a purpose to appear later.

The holding pawl 49 (Figs. 4 and 9) is of a substantially L-shape and has a stop pin 55 projected laterally outwardly from its short leg 5?. The pawl 45) is carried on a pivot 59, carried on and projected inwardly from the side wall 36, and the pawls 58 and 49 are relatively arranged in substantially horizontal positions so that the short legs 53 and 51 thereof, respectively, are positioned opposite each other at one side of the ratchet wheel 39, and in the path of movement of the ratchet teeth 52.

An operating member 6| (Figs. 4 and 8) for the working pawl 48 is arranged in a substantially upright position and pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a pivot 62 carried on the side wall 36. The upper end of the operating lever (it is pivotally connected at 53 with the free end of the long leg 52 of the working pawl 48. The lower end (53 of the operating lever 6| is of a bifurcated construction for straddling a screw member 84 carried at one end of a plunger 66 forming part of a solenoid unit El. A coil spring 58 connected between the holdin pawl 43 and the operating lever Bl, maintains the working or short leg 53 of the pawl 48 in yieldable engagement with the ratchet teeth 42, and a coil spring 69 connected to the holding pawl 19 and the oper ating lever 61 acts to hold the short leg 51 of the holding pawl in yieldable engagement with the ratchet teeth 42.

Thus, on each operating stroke of the solenoid plunger 66 the operating lever Si is pivotally moved in a counterclockwise direction relative to its pivot support 62, as viewed in Fig. 3, whereby the working pawl 48 is moved in a direction toward the left, as viewed in the same figure, to provide for a counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet 39, against the action of the torsion spring 46, a distance equal to the pitch of the ratchet teeth 42. This predetermined movement of the ratchet 39 is maintained by the action of the holding pawl 49 in a well known manner.

The operation of the solenoid unit 6"! is controlled by a switch unit, indicated generally at EU (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which is actuated in response to a downward swinging movement of the pivoted trap door 24. The pivot 29a for the trap door 24 carries a rock arm ll which is movable with the trap door 24, and functions as a ground contact terminal for the switch unit EB. A second contact terminal 12 for the switch unit '30 is mounted upon, but insulated from a lever i3 which is pivoted at M on a side wall '15 of the switch unit casing 76. The lever '13 is yieldably held against a stop member 11 also carried on the side wall it, by a coil spring '18. Thus, on movement of the door 24 from its closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, toward its open posi tion shown in dotted lines at A in the same figure, the rock arm H is moved into engagement with the yieldable contact 12 to close the switch unit it to energize the solenoid unit 87.

With reference to Fig. 6 the electrical circuit for the switch unit Hi and solenoid unit 61 is seen to include a step down transformer 81 for reducing the voltage from a volt supply to about ten volts. From the transformer 81 there is provided a plug-in line 82 for connection with a socket 83, which is illustrated in Fig. 4 as carried on the support ll. One line 84, from the socket 83 is grounded to the housing 34 of the counting mechanism 22 as indicated at 86. From what will be termed the hot side or terminal 81 of the socket 83 is a conductor 83 which is connected to a terminal 89 of the solenoid unit 61. The winding 91 in the solenoid unit 6'1, corresponding to the plunger 65, is connected at one end to the terminal 89 and has its other end connected through a conductor 92 with the yieldable contact 12 of the switch unit 10. The movable contact ll of the switch unit 10 is grounded to the chick-receiving structure 2! as indicated at 93. Thus on engagement of the rock arm or movable contact "H with the yieldable contact 72 the circuit through the solenoid unit 6'! for operating the solenoid plunger 66 is closed, from the hot terminal 87, through the conductor 88, the solenoid winding 9| and the switch unit '10 to the ground 93.

The switch unit '16 is closed, in response to each downward swinging movement of the pivoted door 24, to provide for an energization of the solenoid winding SI and the operation of the solenoid plunger 66 to move the ratchet 39 a predetermined distance equal to the pitch of the ratchet teeth 42. As a result, when the door 24 ha's 'been trippeddownwardly twenty five times,

all of the ratchet teeth 42-will have been moved into successive ee'ng-agement with the :working "pawl 48. ratchet-39 has -been reached; further rotation of When this rotated position of the the ratchet 39- by the pawl 48 isrendered ineffective byvirtue of the" blank portion 44,. which "limits the overall rotation of the ratchetf3 9 to an angular distance commensuratewith the angular distance *coveredby the series ofratchet teeth When this limiting or 1 stop position 1 of the ratchet-39 is reached, the projection 43 is moved into a position for engaging :a yieldablecontact 95 (Fig.4) mounted"omaridinsulated from. a lever housing 34.

With referencetoFig...6.thecircuit for the buzzer I 6I includesthehot terminaliS'I of the socket 83 "and a conductor 'il'll2zwhich is con-H.

nected to one side I63 of the buzzer. The other side I04 of the buzzer IUI has a conductor I66 connected with the yieldable terminal 95, with the movable terminal or projection 43 on the ratchet 39 being connected to ground as indicated at I05.

It is seen, therefore, that when a predetermined number of chicks have been dropped into a container 33, and with such number being twenty-five in thejillustrated embodiment of the invention,-the buzzer IOI will be sounded when the count of twenty-five has been reached and for each downward movement of the pivoted door 24, following the count of twenty-five. In other words, although the working pawl 48 will be ineffective to rotate the ratchet 39 after twentyfive successive movements thereof have been completed, it will remain in engagement with the twenty-fifth tooth indicated at 42a so that the projection 43 will be rocked into and out of engagement with the yieldable contact 95, by the action of the pawl 48 on the twenty-fifth tooth, and the counter action of thetorsion spring 46. Thus, the buzzer IIlI will be sounded on the twenty-fifth successive movement of the ratchet 39, and on each tripping movement of the door 24 thereafter.

When the predetermined number twenty-five has been indicated to the operator by the buzzer IUI, the counting mechanism 22 is reset by the provision of a resetting lever Ill'I (Figs. 4 and arranged in an upright position below the pivot 59 for the holding pawl 49. The upper end I88 of the resetting lever I91 is pivotally supported on the pivot 59, and its lower end I99 is of a bifurcated construction for straddling a screw I I I carried in the end of a second solenoid plunger I I3 for the solenoid unit 61. A projection or arm H2 of an angular shape, is projected laterally from the resetting lever IB'I, at a position adjacent to its upper end I68, for movement into engagement with the holding pawl 49.

Thus on operation of the solenoid unit 61 and retraction of the solenoid plunger H3, the resetting lever I01 is pivotally moved in a clock- The.ratchetrwheel-i139 is: thusreleased forv move- -ment-in the direction indicatedby the arrow-41,

:bygthe action-of; thei torsionspring .w46, ,to ,a reset'ror starting: position defined by the engagement/ of the: projection 43 with the working leg r53 ofthe workingypawl 4B. This-engagementis vmaintained by the virtue of thexfact-thatthe pivoted movement of the Working pawl-.48 by the holding; pawl 49; is limitedby theengagement of the guide extension 54 with a stop member ,;I I 5rprojected' inwardly from they side wall-36 .of

the counting mechanism casing .34. It is .to be noted that the extension-:54 is-in an overlapped relation relative to the short leg-51 of the holdin v pawl 49, to prevent the pawl-49 from riding over the pawl 48 during a-resetting operation. It is seen, therefore, that'the counting mechanism22, afterbeing reset,-is again ready foroperation to accurately count a predetermined number of downward tripping movements of the door 24.

As shown in Fig. 6 the electrical circuit for the resetting solenoid plunger H3 includes a winding H6, corresponding to the plunger 66, having one end connected to the terminal 89'of the solenoid unit 61, and its opposite end connected to one terminal II? of a push button switch H8 the other terminal H9 of which is connected to ground as indicated at I2I. The push button switch H8 (Fig. 3) is carried on the front wall 38 of the counting mechanism housing 34 at a position above the buzzer IOI.

In some instances it is desired that an accumulative count of the chicks passed into a container 33 be maintained. For this purpose there may be provided an electrically operated accumulative counter I22 of any well known type, which can be carried on the top side of the counting mechanism housing 34 (Fig. 4)

With reference to Fig. 6 a counter I22 is indicated as including a counting wheel I23 having an associated pawl I24 operated by a solenoid plunger I26. The winding I21 for the plunger I26 has one end thereof connected through a conductor I28 to the terminal 89 of the solenoid unit 61 and its other end connected through a conductor I29 with the yieldable terminal I2 of the switch unit I8. .Thus, the plunger I26 is operated inresponse to each tripping movement of the door 24.

From the above description it is seen that the invention provides a chick counting device which is of a simple and compact construction, and eificient in operation to accurately count chicks,

' concurrently with their separation into specified responding parts, can then be arranged in a nested relation.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this in vention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1.- For use in the sexing of chicks, a chick counting device comprising a pair of chick-receiving structures, one of said structures being provided for receiving pullet chicks and the other for receiving rooster chicks, a pair of signal devices corresponding to said structures, means on each of said structures for actuating a corresponding signal device when a predetermined number of chicks have been deposited in the structure, and a retractable and extendible base member attached to and positioned between said structures such that when said base member is extended said chick-receiving structures are moved to spaced apart positions to provide for the positioning of a box of unsexed chicks on said base member between said structures, and when said base member is retracted said structures are moved to positions adjacent each other.

2. For use in the sexing of chicks, a chick counting device comprising a substantially U- shape frame unit having upright leg members and a substantially horizontal base member, a pair of chick-receiving structures mounted on said leg members, a pair of signal devices corresponding to said structures, means on each of said structures for actuating a corresponding signal device when a predetermined number of chicks have been deposited in the structure, said base member being of a retractable and extendible construction such that when said base member is extended said chick-receiving structures are moved to spaced apart positions to provide for the positioning of a box of unsexed chicks on said base member between said structures, and when said base member is retracted said structures are moved to positions adjacent each other.

WARD J. WRIGHT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,146,975 Tayman July 20, 1915 1,153,658 Warren Sept. 14, 1915 2,023,676 Fischer Dec. 10, 1935 2,234,208 Thompson et al. Mar. 1, 1941 2,278,237 Bornfieth Mar. 31, 1942 2,486,117 Clark Oct. 25, 1949 2,532,627 Koci Dec. 5, 1950 2,536,744 Henry Jan. 2, 1951 

